Several people have asked about my interest in John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces. It’s one of those novels that one typically either “gets” or one does not — the former group can be pretty obsessive and protective about it (if you are one of those dour, humourless, censorious, and perpetually seeking offence types . . . then that’s great . . . dash pointlessly to your “safe” space of willful ignorance). I’d suggest that the Toole novice first view the excellent Joseph Sanford documentary John Kennedy Toole: the omega point and then if one’s interest is piqued by this compelling backstory, proceed to read the novel itself. I’d then read Cory MacLauchlin’s excellent biography (forming the basis for a forthcoming feature film) and then there is my academic review essay of Cory’s book.
manwithoutqualities 